Robert of Brunne's "Handlyng synne".

þe eleuenþe poynt of shryfte.

þe elleuenþe poynt shul we [we shul.] knowe, Line 11777 'To þy prest þou bere þe lowe, Blelyche yn [þy.] penaunce for to do Alle þat he ioyneþ þe vnto.' Line 11780

Þou shalt make no fals delay, Penaunce to takë at þy pay; Hyt ys sloghnes and feyntés To take penaunce at þy dyuys; Line 11784 For þy synne, þe ryȝt penaunce Shal be þe prestës ordynaunce: Þus seyþ þe clerk, seynt Austyn, Line 11787 "Þe prestes mercy, þou do þe ynne; Þe prest ys crystys vycarye; Do þe alle yn hys mercy."

Ȝyf þe prest be of any resun, Line 11791 He wote weyl what shal be doun; [folio 78b] he wote what penaunce þe falleþ [falþ.] to haue, And what þy state ys, and what hyt wyl craue. And, þus þou wost weyl at gesse, Ȝyf þou were now yn a sykenes, Line 11796 And [al.] wuldest þou do, for to lyue, Alle þat þy leche wulde þe ȝyue; To þy soule, do þe samë wyse, Þy penaunce, as þe prest seyse. Line 11800

Many aȝens þe prest þey kaste, Þat þey mowe noþer bydde ne faste, But ȝyf þey algate penaunce [penaunce O, om. H.] shul do, Þan þay seye hyt behoueþ be so; Line 11804 No þyng aftyr hys dedys ylle, But algate at hys ownë wylle.

wenest þou so to come to heuene, Line 11807 with lyghte penaunce as þou wylt neuene? But y warne þe of þys cas; Þarto ys many a streytë pas. Þe manhede of God wulde noȝt Haue heuene, but hyt were boȝt. Line 11812 what wenest þou haue hyt for so lytyl here, whan God and man boȝt hyt so dere? By heuene with þy penaunce, Or, ellës-where, kepe harder chaunce. Line 11816